Gum grafting
Gum Grafting
Gum recession is when the gums or gingival pull back from the teeth. This can allow bacteria to invade and cause many problems. If gum recession begins, we recommend grafting.
What is causing Gum Recession?
There are a number of things that can cause gums to pull back. Usually it is a combination of factors.
- Some patients have thin gum tissue
- There might be a tooth that is malpositioned thus affecting the gum
- Plaque may be causing gingival inflammation
- Brushing too hard or using a toothbrush that is too hard
- Natural aging process
- Muccogingival deformities
If this does occur, there are several methods to correct the situation.
We can use some adjacent gum tissue to repair the area that has pulled away. This is limited by the amount of adjacent gum is available and in good shape. That is called a gingival graft.
We can use tissue from the roof of the mouth to graft onto the affected tooth area. This is called autograft.
Another way is to use a grafting material called AlloDerm. This product was introduced in 1994 to facilitate burn reconstruction in head and neck plastic surgery.
Post Operative Care
In order to assure a good graft and success of the procedure, we will give the client and his or her family very precise post operative instructions. We will monitor your progress through regular visits and offer a phone number for emergencies.
